Data: At the Intersection of Everything

Informatica Corporation (NASDAQ: INFA) is a 1993 founded software development company based out of California. The company has a current market capitalization of $4.10 billion.

We are in the age of information and information mobility. Data will be at the intersection of everything in 2015; every industry, every innovation and every mishap.

1.Fragmenting into the Cloud- In 2015, many businesses will be traversing the last mile of cloud adoption, moving traditional on-premise databases and architectures such as ERP and data centres into the cloud. This will amplify data fragmentation, as data travels to the cloud and resides in different locations.

Ultimately, this fragmentation will result in huge challenges when it comes to data control, access and exploitation. Successful businesses will be those able to remain agile when trying to combine, access and exploit that data, regardless of location. The businesses that already struggle to understand where their data is, will fail to do this.

2.Meta-data will become as much an asset as the data itself- Demands about data transparency, ownership and responsibility are coming out loud and clear, but data continues to fragment across multiple apps, platforms, integrators, stores and technologies. Meta-data will rise to unparalleled importance for organizations seeking to keep tabs on their data assets and prove to consumers and stakeholders that they are in control. Clear and real-time overviews of where data is, who can access it, how and when it is being used, will become as much an asset as the data itself.

3.The rise of the new data republics–Countries re-gearing their approach to data could benefit from becoming safe harbours in the new information economy. National and international regulations will shape the formation of new 'data republics'. Regulations around the security of data will become a differentiator as important as taxation when it comes to doing business.

4.Businesses will try and fail to drink from the fire hose– By 2016, an estimated 23.9 billion devices will be connected. In 2015, we'll see the emergence of low-tech Wi-Fi hacks to connect our traditionally 'dumb' devices, as well as a whole raft of new smart technologies. Internet of Things (IoT) will create an explosion of data, but the models to support the collection and storage of these huge volumes are not yet in place.

Businesses need to be incredibly agile to tap into, and make sense of, a brand new data source. They cannot afford to take long to integrate data when sources emerge rapidly. Throwing bodies at the problem will not solve this problem. Businesses need intelligent technology to help them cope with the volume and complexity of ingesting and analyzing data in the age of information mobility.

5.Big Data will mean big responsibility–The exponential growth in big data and the explosion of data sources – social, mobile, cloud, IoT, wearables – has a corollary social impact. Next year, there will be a battle over the responsibility for all that data. In fact, while consumers create 75 percent of all the data in the world, enterprises are responsible for 85 percent of it.

Consumers have huge power over the actions of brands, governments and organizations. Trust and ethical policy creation will be vital for attracting millennial customers. Transparency over how data is used, stored and traded will be the rallying cry.

6.Data on the shareholder statement–Described as gold or oil, businesses in 2014 got their heads around data as an asset rather than an expense. In 2015, businesses will begin to quantify that, and we will see it spelled out on shareholder statements. Many businesses are looking to data as a new revenue source, whether through new services or selling on that raw asset.

However, there is a flipside and due to its value, data is also a risk worthy of the shareholder statement. As businesses acquire more data, they will need to outline the inherent risks in storing, cleansing and securing that data, and especially if disruptions to that asset can have a consequential revenue impact.

7.Perimeter defence will be meaningless–Some of the largest data security breaches we've seen have happened from the inside. The lowest tech and easiest approach is to bribe or blackmail your way to that data, which means that every employee is a potential risk. In the face of increased breaches and a tough environment for consumer trust, organizations in 2015 will need to look at finding a way to secure data at its source and in motion. They need to have a much better understanding of how and where their data moves than they currently do.